


Light on the Hill

by Abdomino



Category: Destiny (Video Games), Destiny 2 - Fandom
Genre: Destiny 2, The Dawning, a Cabal gets high
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 22:40:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13133691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abdomino/pseuds/Abdomino
Summary: The snow is falling, the sun is shining, the Traveler is... floating. It's the Dawning, the time of friendship and gift giving and other such distractions. Such is the main focus of three Guardians in particular, brought together during the Red War.Set shortly after the events of Curse of Osiris, during, you guessed it, the Dawning in game event.





	Light on the Hill

"I think I was a preacher."

The guardian shifted on the rocks beneath his feet. Before him he considered the long-dead bodies before him. Researchers? Colonists? Anything to identify them had long since bleached away under the sun's stare. 

Not much to stop the sun on this barren rock, the Titan considered, looking up to spare his homeworld a glance.

"What?" Zipporah was beside him as always. She continued scanning for useful scavenge, resources, anything they could bring back to the City.

"A preacher. Before my first death."

The Ghost paused a moment, before continuing to rejoin the troubled Guardian

"What makes you say that? You've never mentioned remembering your first life before."

Pax hesitated, weighing the question in his mind for a moment.

It was true. Some Guardians could remember flashes of their life before, others it was like a half-memory. For those like him, it was simply like it didn't happen. Until now at least.

"I'm not sure. I just remember standing in front of bodies like these. Family around them crying. Standing on my own, saying... something. Getting ready to comfort the living."

"Sounds like depressing work."

"It does." The Titan conceded, "But I still... loved it? No... I still felt the calling to do it. I felt the same way that I do now, when I gather my Light in a fight. That I'm focusing something... Something bigger than me." 

The Guardian fell silent, still staring at the corpses. Then flinched in surprise in surprise when Zipporah swung around his head.

"Like an ogre?" 

"No, not like an ogre you little smartass."

"Bigger than an ogre?"

"Like the giant golfball floating in the sky over there."

"Ohhhh." The Ghost did a small flip, chuckling to herself. "Sorry, when you start getting moody like this, I just can't resist."

"All the Ghosts the Traveler makes, and I get the one who thinks she's funny."

"All the dead bodies to choose from, and I found the one who had an entire tree growing in his ass. Shame I couldn't remove it when I found you."

Despite himself, the Guardian smirked. "Alright, alright my friend, let's get moving. I saw a skiff a minute ago moving over these hills. House of Exiles if I saw right. They're pretty good about finding the decent stuff around here."

"Stealing from Fallen?" Zipporah commented, in mock horror, "We truly are in dark times."

"When we do it, it's called recovering. Not like it's theirs anyway."

The Guardian had started walking in the direction he'd last seen the ship but, after a moment, paused. 

"You're about to get moody again."

"I'm about to get moody again."

"You want to bury them."

"It's the right thing to do."

"They've gone this long. Haven't complained yet. Bunch more just like them around here."

"I can get to them later. These ones have waited long enough."

The Ghost sighed, "If that skiff gets away, don't complain to me."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

The Guardian began using a nearby scrap of metal as a makeshift shovel. Zipporah, meanwhile, returned to her work. After a moment, the latter called out to her charge;

"I'd love to help, but I can't exactly dig without any arms and the like."

"Doesn't seem to stop you from running your mouth."

...

"Hey, Pax?"

"What?"

"What's a golfball?"

 

______

 

"I think he's going to like this one, Deidra" A Ghost declared to his Guardian.

"Of course he will. He likes old stuff, this is one of the oldest things I've found yet." His Guardian responded flippantly, but even under the armor, the Ghost saw her relax a bit.

"Tell me, why are we doing this again?"

"You know why. It's the Dawning. The gift giving is my favorite part!"

"I thought the idea was to get them, you know, good gifts."

Deidre glanced over her shoulder, "What's wrong with it?"

"It's a book. He's a Titan." Rudolph spun, "Does he even know how to read?"

"Oh shut up.  He's not like the rest of them."

"Not like the rest of them, huh? You know, this is why people talk about you two."

"Talk about? What's there to talk about?"

"Oh nothing." Rudolph said coyly, "A Hunter and a Titan, one so serious the other... you. So different but still find a way to fight together as much as possible... I've read worse."

"You read that stuff?"

"Not my fault you were so hard to find. Had to fill the time up with something. Don't change the subject. Did you work this hard on Talab's gift?

"Harder, really. You should know." Deidra crossed her arms at her Ghost with a smile, "All that data we got on the Dreadnaught?"

"I thought that was for the Vanguard?!" The Ghost's red eye flared in anger.

"Some of it was. But you know how he likes to study the Hive. Figured I'd knock out his gift while we were there."

"We were there for a week!"

"And not once did you question why Zavala wanted to know the specific measurements of every statue and weird stain we came across."

"I did! All the time! You told me it was vital to the war effort!"

"It is. Imagine Talab without new creepy Hive stuff to geek out over."

Rudolph paused, "Ok, fine, good point. But why lie?"

"You would have gotten bored and fed me fake data so you wouldn't have to work, and then demand we left to explore Mercury two days in."

"I really hate you sometimes. And how well you know me."

"Aww, I hate you too, little buddy!"

The Hunter carried on her merry way, happy to carve another mental notch on the board against her companion.

"Hey, wait a minute! Answer my question."

"I did. I worked HARDER on that stuffy Warlock's gift."

"Not him, about Pax. What's going on between you two? It's not like you to call in a favor from one of those Osiris nerds on a whim."

"He's a great friend, Rudy, what do ya want me to say? Stodgy Titan or not. Both of them are. Besides, Dawning after reclaiming the City? Traveler wakes up? I just felt like they deserved something a bit extra this year. I just wish you hadn't talked me out of checking out what's on the other side of the Court. Honestly, feel like I picked the easy option with the geek."

"Alright I get it. So what did you get me?"

Deidra rolled her eyes and continued her journey through the markets.

"I already told you it was a surprise."

"I hate surprises."

"That's not true. You just hate the kind that shoot at us."

The Ghost begrudgingly followed her, muttering just loud enough so she could hear him.

"There's another kind?"

 

______

 

"Ghost."

"Guardian."

"Any progress?"

"None yet, it seems the chitin doesn't spread outside of the conditions of the dreadnaught."

"Theories?"

"Airborne chemical?"

"Perhaps. Did you detect anything on our last visit?"

"No. Did your suit?"

"Negative."

"Direct stimulation?"

"How so?"

"Task by Acolytes or Thrall to directly encourage chitin to spread or self-repair. The hull breach's continued exposure could then be explained by both Cabal and Vanguard interference."

"Reasonable. Would require direct observation, undetected by the subjects. Deidre has been trained as a Nightstalker, I will ask her the next time she visits."

"Guardian."

"Yes?"

"It is the Dawning."

"So it is. And?"

"Have we prepared our gifts?"

...

"Ghost."

"Guardian?"

"I believe we may be terrible friends."

 

___

 

"We admit we were somewhat surprised, Guardian Deidre. We owe you and your Fireteam our lives and this is all you ask for?"

"Consider it my Dawning gift to you, Graydon. Slate's clean as far as I'm concerned."

"We appreciate the gesture, noble Hunter, but we'd all be ashamed if we let you walk away with a...  bauble so trivial. So we combed through our records to find something we think is perfect for you."

Deidra straightened up. "You didn't have to do that." She paused, "I do appreciate it though. You still did as I asked, right?"

"Of course. Time is a temporary condition like any other. It and decay can all be reversed, so long as one possesses the correct knowledge of course."

"Of course."

"That said."

Deidra raised an eyebrow, "Brother Graydon, I am being very generous, in spirit of the season. Do not take advantage of it."

"We would never dream of it, Hunter Deidra. We merely wished to ask, you said this was a gift?"

"I did."

"Is it for that... Titan friend of yours?"

"It is. Why?"

"This book is quite ancient, according to our records. We are not certain of who this James figure is, but it seems he had commissioned many copies of it to be made, and this is but one of a handful that have been recovered. It seems... A waste, for such an artifact to fall into the hands of one who may have... trouble, appreciating it."

Any patience the young Guardian had for this exchange quickly ran dry. "He has been in the business of recovering our history far longer than you, Brother Grayson. It may, in fact, be far safer in his hands than that of yours and your order. So many items seem to be loaned to your sect... and so many wind up tragically lost or destroyed."

"Hunter Deidra, I don't think I appreciate what you're implying."

"And I don't think you would appreciate a couple friendly nudges to those who all had the same misfortune with your group. Be a shame if they found out about each other."

"I see. And our past history means nothing? Our common struggle during the Red War?"

"It's the only reason they don't already know."

"I see. Well then. The artifact is restored. Our business is concluded?"

"I believe it is. Shall I see myself out?"

"Of course not. We still have our other gift to present you."

"I had assumed that was off the table."

"And that is why you would have trouble in our order, dear Guardian. Assumptions mar the truth."

"I doubt that's the only reason. So what is this other gift of yours?"

"A weapon of course. What else would be a suitable gift for a Hunter? It is a fine weapon, one of those oversized pistols you Guardians seem fond of... A hand cannon, we believe? Sparing you the technical details, we had a breakthrough in the design that also gave us great insight into causality. You will find that when you attempt to reload, you will find that you have already."

"Already what?"

"Already reloaded, of course."

"So I don't need to reload?"

"Of course you do. It uses ammo just like any other weapon."

"But you said I don't need to reload..."

"I said that you had already reloaded it. Think of it as... cutting a corner on the path of time."

"I don't understand."

"I am more than certain you will figure it out."

"I suppose. Alright, I'll take my cheating gun and the dusty book and be on my way."

"Of course, we won't keep you. Please feel free to stop by again, Deidre. I do so love our chats."

"So do I, Grayson. Take care."

...

"Brother Grayson."

"Yes, Brother Kyle?"

"Why did you still give her that weapon, the artifact for that matter, when she threatened us? You rolled over like a beaten dog!"

"Oh yes, you are still new to our order, aren't you? That is merely Hunter Deidra's means of entertainment."

"Entertainment!? We unravel mysteries of the universe, and she uses us to amuse herself!?"

"Oh please, Brother, do stop. It was as much warning as it was threat. We've been too greedy with the artifacts we collect and need to police ourselves better. The last thing we need are vengeful Guardians breaking down our door."

"They should be grateful to be a part of our efforts!"

"Brother, watch your words. That Guardian and her cohorts protected us during the War. While you were safe in Europe, we survived together, both Disciple and Lightless Guardian. Without the other, none of us would have survived."

"I still believe we shouldn't kowtow to them."

"And that is why you aren't allowed to greet the guests."

___

"Rudolph."

"Deidra"

"I think I'm in love." The Guardian rolled out of her cover, quickly dispatching the two Cabal guards before they could raise the alarm. 

"You can't be in love with a gun."

"What about that thing with you and that sniper rifle? Dorothy?" Deidre slammed against the wall, peering around the corner in search of her main target. Some Centurion making a play to become the Legion's new arms dealer.

"I don't want to talk about it. Fine. You can't fall in love with a gun sans AI. And I don't recommend one with an AI either."

"I still love this thing. It's like I never have to stop shooting. Long as I have ammo to put into it, the fun never stops!"

"So a good Dawning already?"

"Oh yeah!"

"Then I suppose I should mention that Pax has returned to the City."

That pulled the Hunter's focus. She turned to her smug lightbulb. As much as a glowing light and bits of metal could look smug.

"He has? Why didn't you tell me!?"

"I did. You were so wrapped up with your new lover that you thought I was a Shank. I'm lucky you're a terrible shot."

"Oh shut up. C'mon, back to the City!"

"Forgetting something?"

"I already sabotaged his jump jet. Just watch."

With that, she stepped out of cover and gave the crowd beneath her a friendly wave and shout.

The Legionarres in attendance, displayed their famous manners and charged their weapons. The target, to his credit, recovered from the surprise quickly, barking out orders. 

"Deidra they're pointing guns at me."

"Just you?"

"I'm sorry, who ressurects who again?"

"Relax. Just watch."

Satisfied that his underlings were properly managed, the Centurion readied himself for the leap up to the balcony to confront the interloper. He launched into the air.

And kept launching. Far over the roof, into the distance. Deidra wasn't sure what constituted "good" last words, but she was certain they didn't include "confused, enraged screaming."

Rudolph, as well as all the other Cabal in sight, stared in the direction the unfortunate space gorilla had blasted in. 

"Was that my present?"

"No. C'mon, let's go."

"Because I'd be totally happy if it was."

"Noted, let's go!"

"Right behind you, boss."

**Author's Note:**

> First, possibly last, fic, though I might do more with this if people find the writing bearable. I'll at least get to the part where they actually, y'know, exchange their gifts.
> 
> I haven't quite decided how much each character relates to the main story of either game, though they will probably differ. 
> 
> All criticism is welcome.


End file.
